Moldova's President calls for election recount

Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has called for a recount of an election, saying it would restore trust and calm after violent demonstrations by protesters alleging the vote was rigged.

Opposition parties said the President's offer was meaningless and intended to distract attention from mass fraud on voters' lists.

The parties have demanded a new election in the country of 4 million wedged between Ukraine and Romania.

Mr Voronin, Europe's only ruling communist, asked the Constitutional Court to allow a recount of the April 5 vote, in which the communists finished far in front with nearly 50 per cent of the vote.

The court, dominated by his supporters, is likely to agree.

"I, as chairman of the party which gained undoubted victory in the fair and democratic contest, approach the Constitutional Court for a clear decision on the need for a full recount of the votes cast in the parliamentary election," Mr Voronin said.

"A full recount would be an important argument for the restoration of political stability, peace and mutual confidence in the Moldovan Republic," he said in the request.

The President's office later said Mr Voronin had met US Ambassador Asif Chaudhry and promised to take steps to create dialogue between the authorities and the opposition.

In Washington, a US State Department spokesman told reporters the United States welcomed the call for a recount.

He said Mr Chaudhry also met opposition leaders and that on Thursday the opposition was given four days to review voter rolls.

Thousands of demonstrators looted and set fire to the parliament and the President's offices on Tuesday (local time) in the worst violence to sweep Moldova, Europe's poorest country, in decades.

The President, speaking to reporters on Friday, again blamed opposition parties for the violence.